1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, such as a camera-integrated DVD recorder (DVD video camera), capable of recording moving or still images on a recording medium, a method for controlling the apparatus, and a control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, an apparatus to record and play back image data on/from an optical recording medium, such as a DVD, has been known.
In recent years, an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers has been proposed in a field of optical recording discs. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-134375, an apparatus to record and play back image data on/from an optical disc having a plurality of layers has been proposed.
When image data is to be recorded on an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers, the image data is first recorded on a first recording layer, and then on a second recording layer after the first recording layer becomes full. If the optical disc has three or more layers, the image data is recorded on a third layer and a fourth layer after each recording layer becomes full.
When such an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers is to be played, focus control of an optical pickup needs to be performed for each layer. If data recording density is different in the respective recording layers, a track pitch and reflectivity are also different. Thus, adjustment in tracking control and focus control needs to be performed for each layer.
These processes need to be performed at startup of the apparatus or load of a disc, which takes time to be ready for playback, so that a user is kept waiting for the time.
If those processes are to be performed at switching of layers during playback, playback of moving images is suspended until adjustment has been done.
Likewise, during recording, adjustment in tracking control and focus control or adjustment of optimal laser power needs to be performed every time recording layers are switched. Accordingly, recording of image data is suspended for the adjustment time.
By accumulating image data that is input during adjustment of an optical pickup in a memory and by writing the image data accumulated in the memory on a disc after the adjustment, the image data can be continuously recorded without suspension.
However, an expensive large-capacity memory is required in order to accumulate data that is input during adjustment of a pickup at switching of recording layers, which leads to a cost increase of the apparatus.
For the reason of preventing a cost increase, it is not practical to provide such a large-capacity memory in inexpensive apparatuses, such as consumer-oriented apparatuses. Also, there is a problem that suspension of recording at switching of recording layers is inevitable.